Boom, boom!
The originally pitch-black cave was illuminated by the flames of repeated explosions.
"Incineration!"
Flames gathered in Yamamoto Kuma's hands, then spread out in a cone, scorching the ground.
The dozen or so Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodiles slithering on the ground were all incinerated by the sudden onslaught of fire.
"Damn it, how many more are there?"
"There shouldn't be too many left."
Behind Yamamoto Kuma, Kanzaki Shingo was continuously strengthening Yamamoto Kuma's power with blessings.
Crackle.
The sound of flames burning echoed as Yamamoto Kuma held a small ball of flame in his left hand.
"Heh, they really are endless. Can you keep up, Kanzaki?"
Looking at the still densely packed Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodiles surrounding them, Yamamoto Kuma felt extremely troubled.
"Heh, I won't fall before you do."
Kanzaki Shingo's words gave Yamamoto Kuma a sliver of confidence.
In times of danger, having someone you could trust with your back truly was a comforting thing.
Hiss, hiss.
A hissing sound far louder than any before emerged, and a figure that plunged both of them into despair appeared in the cave.
Its body was tens of meters long, with countless fins sprouting like petals from both sides of its lower body.
Its body was covered in a dense mass of eyes.
Unlike the other pitch-black Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodiles.
This giant Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile, though also black, revealed other colors if one looked closely.
It was a strange sensation, like the "colorful black" some bosses demanded.
"So this is the true form of the Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile."
Yamamoto Kuma felt a pang of despair.
"Hey, Yamamoto, look over there."
Kanzaki Shingo pointed towards the vicinity of the Shadow Crocodile's tail.
There, a bulge was forming.
Pop.
The sound of a pustule bursting echoed, and another eye appeared on the Shadow Crocodile's main body.
They recognized that eye.
It was the eye of the Cursed Spirit they had been tracking for several hours.
"Hey, Kanzaki."
"What?"
Kanzaki Shingo turned to Yamamoto Kuma, trembling.
"We're running."
"Huh?"
"What 'huh'? Exorcising a monster like this is a job for monsters. We've got enough intel; do you want to die here?!"
Yamamoto Kuma's roar suppressed the fear in Kanzaki Shingo's heart.
"What do we do?"
"I remember one of your Cursed Techniques has high damage against Cursed Spirits, right?"
"Yeah, but it can only target one enemy, and the consumption is huge. I can only use it once a day."
"Now's the time. Hit that big guy hard with it, then I'll clear a path with Incineration. You stick close to me and run for your lives, understand?"
"Okay."
Kanzaki Shingo nodded. With a plan, much of his fear dissipated.
Watching the approaching Shadow Crocodile clones, the flame in Yamamoto Kuma's hand grew brighter.
"They really are afraid of light. I guess being exposed to light, while not fatal, must be very uncomfortable. That makes sense; they are shadows, after all."
Yamamoto Kuma muttered to himself, trying to bolster his courage this way.
Yamamoto Kuma knew that in the eyes of these Shadow Crocodiles, the two of them were already caught, just waiting to be dealt with slowly.
"Divine Revelation."
"Spirit Radiance."
...
"Heaven's Punishment."
As Kanzaki Shingo chanted the incantation, Yamamoto Kuma once again repelled the attacks of the Shadow Crocodile's clones.
"Judgment!"
Blinding lightning appeared in Kanzaki Shingo's hand. The next moment, the lightning shot out, striking the Shadow Crocodile's main body.
"Run!"
Yamamoto Kuma waved his large hand, and roaring flames burned a safe path.
Kanzaki Shingo ran at full speed behind Yamamoto Kuma, dragging his exhausted body.
The next moment, before their despairing eyes, the entrance to the cave was covered by a black shadow.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Kanzaki Shingo let out a despairing cry.
Behind them, the Shadow Crocodile's body split vertically from head to tail, and a large mouth had already completely engulfed them both.
Squelch.
Silence returned to the cave once more.
...
A battle was also taking place in an abandoned village.
One side of the battle was a Cursed Spirit with twisted limbs, crawling on the ground like an insect, its neck resembling a death worm.
A pained human face appeared in the Cursed Spirit's mouth, which was wrapped in sharp fangs.
The other side was a young girl wearing a blue traditional outfit.
"Damn it, my Tuning Fork."
Shijima Nagi cried out in regret.
This was a deserted village. Shijima Nagi had been resting here when she was ambushed by the Cursed Spirit, causing her ancestral Cursed Tool to fall to the side.
Wielding her long sword, she continuously blocked the Cursed Spirit's sharp fangs, and Shijima Nagi was steadily pushed back.
In contrast, there was the Cursed Spirit.
Its insect-like limbs moved constantly, and its death-worm-like head bit at Shijima Nagi from all angles.
"This won't do."
Shijima Nagi began to think of a way to break the deadlock.
She dodged the Cursed Spirit's attack once more.
Shijima Nagi ran towards a nearby house.
BOOM.
The Cursed Spirit's long neck transformed into a flail, directly demolishing the two-story house.
Through the smoke and dust of the ruins, Shijima Nagi broke through the Cursed Spirit Insect Head's obstruction and charged straight in front of the Cursed Spirit.
With a roll, she dodged the Cursed Spirit's limbs.
Shijima Nagi retrieved the ancestral Cursed Tool, the Tuning Fork.
Ding-dong~
The Tuning Fork collided with the back of her sword.
A strange sound echoed, and the Cursed Spirit's movements paused.
"Hoo, hoo, I won."
Shijima Nagi got up, panting, and walked step by step towards the Cursed Spirit, her long sword raised high.
However, something unexpected happened. In the few seconds it took her to catch her breath, the Cursed Spirit had already broken free from the control of the Cursed Tool, the Tuning Fork.
Its death-worm-like head attacked her again.
"Ah!"
Shijima Nagi was sent flying by a headbutt.
If not for her long sword blocking in time, Shijima Nagi would have likely sustained some nasty cuts from the sharp fangs.
"Damn it, why?"
"Probably its level."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Shijima Nagi.
"Huh?"
Shijima Nagi looked behind her in confusion.
A boy in a black school uniform appeared in her sight.
"It's common knowledge that higher-level Cursed Spirits have stronger defenses and resistance to Cursed Techniques, right?"
Eiji looked at Shijima Nagi, who was lying on the ground, with a strange expression. Then, Eiji reached out his hand.
Shijima Nagi instinctively reached out her hand.
The moment their hands clasped, the Cursed Spirit nearby seized the opportunity and attacked.
"So unromantic."
Eiji grumbled at the Cursed Spirit.
The next moment, a ferocious beast from ancient times descended from the sky.
Qiongqi directly stomped the Cursed Spirit under its foot, unfazed by the spirit's struggles.
"Deal with it."
Eiji's words fell.
Qiongqi opened its large mouth and bit off the Cursed Spirit's head.
Shijima Nagi stared blankly at the scene before her.
She felt as if she had encountered something straight out of a story.
"Stop spacing out and keep up."
"Huh? Go where?"
"Take a bath and change clothes, or are you planning to go home looking like this, all tattered?"
Upon hearing the words "bath" and "home," Shijima Nagi seemed to recall something and blushed. However, after thinking about it, she felt Eiji had a point, so after a moment of hesitation, Shijima Nagi followed him.
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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